työväki

Työväki is a Finnish term that translates roughly as the working people or the working class. It combines työ, meaning work, and väki, meaning people or crowd. The word is used to refer collectively to those who earn their living through paid labor, especially manual or industrial work, and to describe a social group positioned between economic classes such as the middle class and the upper strata.

Historically, työväki has been central to Finland’s industrialization and social reform efforts. The term is closely associated with the country’s labor movement, including trade unions and political activity on the left. Through organizing and collective action, workers sought better wages, safer working conditions, and social protections. This development helped shape labor laws, social welfare policies, and the broader political landscape in Finland.

In contemporary use, työväki remains a common reference in discussions about employment, wages, and class-related issues, though the language around class analysis has diversified. The term can appear in sociological and historical writing as a descriptive category, as well as in political and cultural discourse when addressing questions of labor, inequality, and collective action. Overall, Työväki serves as a historical and ongoing reference point for Finland’s understanding of workers and their place in society.